Essex woman held in assault, stabbing, arson

One woman was in jail and two men were being sought by police yesterday after a domestic dispute in Essex escalated to include an assault, a stabbing and a fire.

Sherdina Walker, 28, of the 1400 block of N. Strawflower Road was arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree arson, assault and attempted murder, said Baltimore County police spokesman Bill Toohey.

Arrest warrants were issued for her brother, Maurice A. Turner, 34, of the first block of Sunny Cove Court and her cousin Antonio Antuan Dubose, 29, of the 2600 block of Shirley Ave. The warrants charge both men with arson, assault and attempted murder, all in the first degree.

Police said the Tuesday incident began when an argument broke out in the Strawflower Road apartment that Walker shared with her boyfriend, Antonio Damon Hurd, 27. Walker, her cousin and her brother became angry with Hurd about 5: 30 a.m., and neighbors could hear arguing through the apartment walls, according to arrest documents.

Walker hit Hurd with a metal bar from a weight bench, the documents said, then stabbed him in the leg. Her cousin and brother joined the fray, the arrest documents said, and Hurd locked himself in the bathroom.

Turner and Dubose tried to break down the bathroom door, police said. They poured lighter fluid along the base of the door and lighted it, according to arrest documents. Then Walker, Turner and Dubose left the apartment.

Hurd tried to extinguish the fire outside the bathroom door but was unsuccessful, according to arrest documents. He fled through the flames and ran outside the apartment, where he encountered a Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. crew. Hurd was on fire and was bleeding from head and leg wounds, police said. The BGE crew put out the flames on his clothing, then called police.

Hurd was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, where he was treated Tuesday and released, hospital officials said.

Walker was arrested late Tuesday afternoon and charged that night. Bail was denied, and she is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center, according to jail officials.

The fire charred the structure of the apartment, fire officials said, and caused $20,000 in damage.